Technical definition of “protective toe-cap”

No.14/005/AD-EU/2005 
July 7, 2005

Member-exporters of footwear
(Leather & Non-leather footwear)

Dear Sir,

Sub: Initiation of Anti-dumping proceeding by EU against certain types of footwear from China and India

This is in continuation to Council’s mail sent yesterday on the captioned subject. The Council has ascertained the technical definition of “protective toe-cap” from Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) which provided the information as under:

1. Technological definition of protective toe-caps
   
   The purpose of the protective toe cap is to give protection to the metarsals bone of the feet against impact from falling object. Protective toe cap has energy absorption capacity more than 100J (Protective footwear for professional use) and may be up to an energy level of 200J (safety footwear for professional use) Source: BSEN344:2000 – British Standards / European Norms 
   
   

2. Difference between protective toe-cap and other type of toe-caps
   
   The Non-protective toe caps are made either from leather, coated fabric, polymeric materials (coated & film) and used in the shoe for shape retention only and it has no protection against falling impact. Therefore, its energy absorption level is always less than 100J. 
   
   According to CLRI, protective toe-caps are mostly made from steel & aluminium but with the advent of technology, toe-caps made from polymeric materials (synthetic) are also in use now. 
   
   Member-exporters of footwear may kindly note the above technical definitions / clarifications which would be useful for classification of the footwear with protective toe-cap for the purpose of responding to EU Anti-Dumping investigation.

Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,


K Abdul Sattar Khan
Asst Director

NB: ‘J’ denotes for Joules which is the unit of energy absorption strength